Re: [Savannah-hackers] submission of XML Difference Generator - savannah.nongnu.org

[Rudy Gevaert]

Hi,

When possible I'll point you to an article on the GNU website.  It
will surely give you a better answer than I could ever give.

On Mon, Aug 25, 2003 at 08:41:37PM +0100, r s wrote:
> Hello Rudy,
> 
> May be I am being too naive, but here i have some
> understandings, perhaps you can help me put together
> in terms of the official jargon...
> 
> 1. I intend to allow anybody and everybody to use the
> program (no money involved) until he/she wants to earn
> money from it. Then may be this project would like to
> have some credit (of course not money).

At the Free Software Foundation (FSF) we do not think about free as in
"free beer".  What we are concerned with is our freedom.

To fully understand the meaning of Free software: 
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html

If you make your software Free Software anybody will be able to use
your program.

> 2. I don't mind anybody using the code and
> designing/devicing something better or different using
> it in some manner, provided he/she retains project's
> credentials.

I'll point you to the following entry in the GPL faq:
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#HowIGetCopyright

When releasing your project under e.g. the GPL you must place
copyright notices (and permission-to-copy statements) at the top of
every source code file.

> 3. I am still investigating whether or not the
> implementation of the project can be completed using
> free java software(on the design thoughts that I
> have). I wonder if you can tell me/or direct me to
> answers of - 
>       a. What kind of license and form the project can take
> in such a situation if its not possible to have
> implementation using free software only, and we 'have
> to' use Sun software? 

You can fully choose the license for your project, even if it uses a
nonfree java implementation.  

You can even release it under the GPL or any other Free Software
license.

Savannah is willing to provide resources and time to developers
writing Free Software that can be used without the need to ask
permission from a proprietary software vendor.  Thus if you want your
project to be hosted on Savannah it must run on a Free operating
system and must rely on non-Free software.

If, someday, you get free of those dependencies (see
http://www.gnu.org/software/java for more information), do not
hesitate to resubmit your project.

>       b. Will it be possible to port (officially) the code
> now written using Sun software to the free tools
> available later ?

If a complete Free implementation excists there is no problem with
that.

> 4. Also, I am not sure as to what do you mean when you
> say, "More information about this point" (probably you
> are pointing me to using J2SE ?) ..

You must determine whether your project can run on a Free
Software Java suite (see http://www.gnu.org/software/java/ for more
information).  

On that url you will find links to Free implementations of several
SDKS.  You must tell us if your project works (will work) on such an
implementation.  If it does we can accept your project for Savannah.

> Please guide me to carry it further..

If you have any more questions be free to contact me via
address@hidden

-- 
Rudy Gevaert                address@hidden              
Web page                    http://www.webworm.org
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